Madness is my Friend
by thefictionalLady
Summary: The Hatter's decent into being mad. A story between the Hatter and Madness. Hatter POV.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

"Death, I long for death."

"Death? That whore? I suppose I could introduce you. We are old friends you know. But Death is nothing special, gets around to everyone. Ever heard of the Kiss of Death? Everybody receives it in their own time. I could very easily call him if you wish, but I have far greater plans for you."

"Please, just leave me be."

"No, no, no, don't you see? You should be honored. You will meet Death in due time, as all do, but very few have the honor of befriending me. Many have claimed to have met me, have claimed I had them in my grasp but very few have the honor of actually greeting me face to face. Stare, human, into the face of Madness, true Madness, and do not be afraid. I can be your friend if you allow it, or your worst enemy. I can offer you joy, an escape from this pain your sad pathetic life has dealt you. Do you really wish to run into Death's embrace? Do you truly believe you will be free in it? No, boy, think again. I am freedom. Take my hand and you will be free forever."

"Why? Why are you doing this?"

"Because I wish to help you, my dear companion."

"I'll never be free."

"Yes you will, friend, yes you will. All you must do is abandon your senses and trust in me. You shall indeed be free. Trust in your new friend Madness, I will take care of you.

**Chapter 1**

It was the summer of 1853, London. I was doing very well with myself. I had finally opened the hat shop of my dreams, and was receiving a fair amount of customers. I had always loved hats from a young age. You see my father, Johnathon Young, had been a hatter as well. Hatting was the family business so naturally I developed a strong love and respect for hats of all kinds, and almost nothing could match my love for hats. Until she walked in.

Long beautiful pale blonde hair done up in a dainty bun atop her head was complimented her pale skin. She was like a porcelain doll, perfect in every way. Her head shape was much better than that of the cheap mannequins I worked on, and the texture and almost white color of her hair seemed to compliment any shade and tint of hat I could image. My fingers twitched with eagerness. I longed to hat that beautiful head, and it mattered not if I never could hat another if I could only hat that one head for the rest of my days.

Now I was known to be quite a charmer, I could talk a lady into buying a hat and out of trying for a discount with her smiling and giggling the whole time. But with this one it felt different. I thought her much too beautiful for me to approach her, until I realized that she was much too beautiful not to be approached.

"Hello madam, how are we doing today?" I asked, flashing a smile.

"Quite well thank you." She replied, not even glancing in my direction. She was staring at a lacy red bonnet with a single white flower in the knot of the bow. It was perfectly suited for her.

"May I help you with anything?"

"Yes, actually I am quite interesting in this hat here. What do you call it?" she asked almost absentmindedly as she ran her finger delicately across the brim.

"Pardon me madam?"

She finally turned to face me. Her eyes were as deep and blue as the sea. A strange expression came across her face, as did mine I'm sure.

"What do you call it?" she repeated, her voice strong and clear this time.

It took me a second to process the question. I had never really thought to name my hats; most styles had a name already associated with it so I never bothered to name them myself. This woman was certainly strange, yet completely captivating. Unsure of what to do, I decided to lead with charm.

"What's your name?"

"Anna Smith."

"Then I call it the Anna."

A slight blush colored her cheeks. "You certainly know how to make a sale sir."

"I do know that, but actually Miss Smith my motives are little different than a standard sale. I was wondering if you would be my model." I tried my best to keep my voice steady and my breathing even.

"I don't believe I'm suited for such a job, Mister,"

"Young, Simon Young. And I believe that there is no other head on this planet that I would like to hat more than yours Miss Smith, if you don't mind me saying." I scolded myself silently for the rather awkward and slightly cheesy line. But thankfully a small smile rose from the corner of her lips.

"Well if you feel that strongly about it Mr. Young, how can I refuse?"

"You cannot I hope." Hoping to seal the deal I flashed my best smile, meant especially for the wooing of young ladies and extended my hand.

"When do I start?" She asked, accepting the handshake. I could feel the softness and warmness of her hand in mine even through the sheer cotton gloves she had on. Her eyes met mine and it was if time stood still. I knew that this would be much more than a business relationship, this was fate.

Anna and I were married after a long year of courting. If it wasn't for my nerves and social rules I would have asked that very afternoon. She was perfect in every way. Her beauty radiated from every pore of her, and I asked myself everyday what I did to deserve her. Every hat and dress she wore suited her; even the ugliest of hats would have looked finer than a crown made of the most expensive materials. She was kind and gentle, but not lacking in spunk and guts. We had tea parties every afternoon at three, just the two of us. We promised to have them with our child when we had one.

"Can you imagine, Simon? Tea Party for three at three, doesn't that sound just wonderful? Tea for two is just fine but tea for three would be just perfect." She would say excitedly, clasping her favorite tea cup in her hands. "But just three, I find large parties detestable. Besides we don't have enough chairs to accommodate large parties."

"Not that I am disagreeing with you, my dearest, but I believe we have at least enough seating for a good ten people at least." I would reply.

Then she would always give a playful smile and wag her finger saying, "No room, no room."

Finally after a year of marriage we she was with child. Both of us could hardly contain our excitement. I made greater efforts to increase sales at the store make bigger and better hats so I could sell them for more. Anna spent her days picking out what books she wanted to read to the child, drawing pictures to decorate the baby's room with, and looking at cribs and baby clothing.

In April, a month after her mother's birthday, Anna finally gave birth to a healthy but small baby girl.

"What should we name her dear?" I had asked, leaning down to plant a kiss atop her forehead.

"I suppose Present or Gift is a bit too out of the ordinary for a name, for she seems like a belated birthday present. The most beautiful belated present I've ever received."

"Perhaps a bit," I chuckled.

"Well she's no larger than a dormouse so how about Doris?" Anna looked up at me, and our daughter too seemed to look up at me at the same time. They had the same eyes, breathtakingly blue.

"I think she likes it."

"Does she?" Anna looked back down at the baby, who had begun to giggle. "I believe you're right" She took one of Doris's hands and started shaking it gently while cooing at her. "You like the name Doris? Well Doris it is. My you are such a pretty girl Miss Doris Young, when you grow up I believe you will have a line of suitors three kilos long."

"I should hope not. Anna we might have a problem, our daughter is just too beautiful I don't believe we can bring her out in public. We will just have to keep her here for ourselves. I will not have any dirty, uncultured boys attempting to woo my beautiful Doris."

"What about the clean and cultured ones, dear?" Anna asked, raising an eyebrow.

"There are none. I am the only man Doris needs in her life." I took Doris's other hand. "Isn't that right, darling?"

"I believe we have still have quite a long time before we have to worry about that, dear."

"I don't think any time is long enough. It can only be tea for three remember? Not tea for three and a snot nosed boy."

"Yes dear," Anna laughed, and reached up to touch my face.

Everything in my little world was perfect, until that day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

I was putting the finishing touches on a Bowler hat for a regular customer when I learned the news. One of the local boys who sell newspapers on the corner burst into the shop.

"Mr. Young, Mr. Young!" he shouted.

"What is it boy, what do you need?" I replied impatiently.

"It's your house, sir."

"What? What about my house?" I dropped my work.

"It's on fire, sir."

I started making my way towards the door. "What about my family?"

"Don't know, sir, but you better hurry. It's all ablaze!"

The boy continued shouting after me but I was already halfway down the street.

My house was not close to town. We enjoyed our seclusion and extra room outside of the city. Anna never really liked city life; she preferred the slower pace of the countryside, where she swore we would move to eventually. Never did I think living so far off would be such a problem.

I was able to convince a carriage driver to drive at top speed. The carriage rattled almost as much as my nerves as we raced over the rough dirt roads that led to the house. Soon I was able to see the smoke from the window. We were probably still about a kilometer away, but the cloud of smoke was massive and more than visible. The smell of burning wood and other substances filled the air.

When I arrived there was little left of our perfect home. The flames had subsided but smoke still billowed out of the ash and rubble that was left.

"ANNA! DORIS!" I shouted, running frantically towards the house. "ANNA!" I started tearing through the rubble. My heart was beating so fast I thought it would burst. I searched everywhere hoping to find, and hoping not to find. I wished for nothing more than to hold my dear wife and child in my arms again.

Unfortunately I was granted my wish. From under a pile of collapsed boards emerged a small white hand and the hem of a dress. I tore the boards off, revealing Anna completely covering Doris with her body save the hand that stuck out from the rubble. I shook the both of them.

"Anna, Anna darling wake up. Doris, wake up Daddy's home." Tears started to cloud my vision. "Please wake up. Come on sweetie, wake up. WAKE UP!"

But no matter how much I shook them or shouted, they would not awaken. Anna had given her life to save Doris's, but Doris did not survive. Why hadn't they just gotten out when the fire started? How did this happen? Why did it happen?

But what did it matter? All that I wanted, all that I loved in the world was gone. I was alone; my life had no purpose or meaning anymore. And the pain, oh the pain, it was like everything was stabbing me or injuring me. The air was too thick and suffocated me, the sun was too hot and burning me, the trees loomed overhead and their needles pierced into my skin. My insides felt as if they were to burst at any given moment, such a swelling like I was being filled with poisonous gasses until I would explode. And yet it also felt as if there was a gaping hole going right through me, like every ship in the British navy had shot a cannon right through me.

There was nothing I could do. I was hopeless. I just sat amongst the smoke and the rubble, holding my dear wife and child, my Anna and Doris, sobbing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

After they buried Anne and Doris my life went on dismally. I could no longer bring myself to putting on a smiling face and charm my way to a sale. It wasn't long before people started to notice. Old friends and distant relatives came to visit me in my wretched state, bearing homemade cakes and parcels of home cooked meals. Half of their intentions were probably meant to do me well, make sure I was fed and still functional, while the other half I am sure was simply to see how many jumps away from Bedlam I was. Soon, I could no longer be amongst people, so I hired a good looking boy to run the shop front and immersed myself in my work, making hats throughout the night to stop the nightmares that had started to haunt me.

The _nightmare_ that had started to haunt me.

It was a man with flowing pale green hair and sharp teeth, cackling and holding out his gloved hand as if to beckon me towards him. He never said anything, or at least he didn't until that night.

I wasn't asleep, but I couldn't very well say that I was awake either. I was in that wondrous state of mind in between the two, working without thinking, without feeling, without caring. My hands knew what they were doing; my skill was great enough that I could create gloriously beautiful hats without so much as blinking an eye, and certainly without the need for a plan. Then suddenly, my attention was brought to something, _someone_.

"Hello there, Simon," called a cool steely voice.

I looked up. The voice had come from a tall, slender man. The man from my nightmares.

"Who are you?" I asked, clearly afraid.

"Someone who wants to help. A friend, even. I know of your troubles, dearest Simon, I know you are in pain. Such pain you feel like every fiber of your being could unravel at the slightest touch, and yet if it did you wouldn't care in the least. Your haunted by everything, every minute of every day creeps by reminding you of the perfect life you no longer have. It reminds you that _you _are alive and _they _are dead. Suddenly it's as if the air has turned to fire and noxious gas, and gravity is now pushing a hundred times harder than before. I know, friend, I understand. And I am here to help." His voice was clear and cold, but it was terrifying and comforting like the trickle of a stream in a dangerous wood. His eyes were black as coals but burned with empathy so fierce I could almost feel its warmth.

"How?" was all I could manage to choke out.

"Trust me."

"Trust you? What do you mean?"

A grin crept across his face, sending a chill down my spine. "It's as simple as that my dearest Simon. All you have to do is trust me. Say you trust me, and I will take care of all the rest. That is what friends do, is it not?"

"Friends? But I don't know you. I don't know anything about you." My voice had begun to rise, either in fear or confusion, but it didn't faze the man one bit.

Still smiling, he walked right up to me and put both of his cold bony hands on my shoulders and whispered, "But you will."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Indeed I did get to know him. From that moment the strange man did not leave my side. At first he didn't say much, mainly he lurked behind me as I walked or watched me from the shadows and corners of whatever room I was in, a knowing grin on his face as if he was keeping some great secret. At night he sat perched on the bedpost and watched me as I slept. I tried my best to ignore him, force myself to make him disappear, to believe that he was simply a figment of my imagination. But he did not disappear, no matter how much I reasoned it seemed as if this man was no hallucination, for if he were could I not force him away at will? Slowly I began to accept him; he became my silent companion, like a pet raven, a little dark and unsettling but surprisingly good company nonetheless. The more I accepted him the less lonely I became, the less pain I felt. He was a bit like alcohol, the more of him I took in other things became blurry and I felt less.

"How long are you going to ignore me, friend?" the man finally spoke up one night, as he was perched on his usual spot. "I know you notice me, and I know you've stopped trying to "will me away" as if I'm some sort of illusion. Don't you think it's time that we introduced ourselves?"  
"I – I suppose so," I stammered, quite taken aback that he had spoken; I had forgotten the steely sound of his voice.

"Well, I suppose _I _will start with the introductions." His usual grin twisted in a slightly different way to look slightly amused, and then faded into a very solemn and sincere expression. "Since I already know all about you, and you seem to be too shy to speak I will tell you about myself. My name is Madness, I am the living embodiment. Oh don't look so concerned, my friend, you should count it an honor I am here. Many claim to be mad, but very few have truly had me as a companion. People do not understand that madness, true madness is not a disease, or something that needs to be cured. It is a higher state of mind, of being, allowing one to escape the tedious troubles of the "real world" and achieve true happiness. My job is to help and befriend troubled souls like yourself, so they might achieve this happiness."

"So I'm _mad?_" The words came out colored with horror and disbelief, and Madness looked quite offended by that tone.

"Yes, but don't you know that to be mad is a great thing? The great geniuses of your world have all been mad, have all been _my _personal companions. Aristotle, Socrates, Galileo, Shakespeare, every one of them _my friends. _The commoners of this world label people with greatness they haven't experienced before with a fictional disease, a stigma they paste on those who are different, and they use _my name _to do it!" He was now pacing angrily about the room.

"So it is good to be mad?" I tried to make my voice as gentle as possible.

"Yes! Don't you see? You're a _genius _Simon! You don't need to waste your time and abilities here, with all of these normal, _common _people. You are so much better."

"Then where do you suggest I go?"

"With me, to my world." Madness seemed to be shaking with excitement.

"Your world?"

"Yes!" He clasped my hands between his, "You'll love it. It is a land of wonder. Everything is vibrant and interesting, nothing like you've ever seen before."

"Are there other people in this world of yours? People you've taken there?"

"Of course, but not everyone is from your world you know. There are natives from my world as well. Time, for instance, is a very close friend and neighbor of mine. I'll introduce you when we get there."

"Time? As in the kind that passes?"

"Well I am certainly not speaking of the herb. Thyme the herb is an absolutely wretched creature, I can hardly stand him."

"Your world certainly sounds interesting," I leaned back, trying to process everything. How could Time be a person? But then again how could Madness be a person? Curiosity burned inside of me, as did a single thought. Madness took notice.

"I take it I have you intrigued?" I nodded. "And nothing is keeping you anymore, correct?" I nodded again. "Then, my friend, what do you say?"

"When do we leave?"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Madness smiled, "I am glad to see you so eager, my friend. I shall call the White Rabbit to escort us at once." He seemed to float down from his post, landing soundlessly on the floor and gliding towards the door. "Keep there, dear Simon, we shall be in Wonderland shortly."

And then he was gone. It seemed he had disappeared out of thin air but I noticed the door that was completely shut before, was now suddenly adjacent. I was now alone. Thoughts flooded into my head, threatening to drown me, but with a deep sigh I was able to sort them and analyze them one at a time.

I was _mad _now, a certified lunatic, yet I did not feel the slightest bit odd or peculiar. All I felt was the constant ache of sadness that I managed to ignore for the most part, and perhaps a slight draft from the now adjacent door. But there could be no denying that I saw, heard, and believed in Madness as a living being. No one would be able to see him but myself; no one had the _honor _of seeing him but myself, if it was as he said. I was a genius, a prodigy, I had known since I was a boy that I had a passion for hats, and a knack for knowing what was in style and out of style. A sense of pride rushed over me, filling my chest with a warm, swollen feeling that was quite pleasant. I had always known I was the best, why had I not realized sooner that I was a real genius? I was the Mozart of hats, the Napoleon of fashion. I could predict new trends before they happened and paved the way for new ones. I was well known throughout London, and very successful.

Suddenly I felt that I was much too big for London, or even this world. My whole attitude and outlook changed. I would hat a new world and start a new life, for this one no longer had anything to offer me. My world was gone, dead, the people here held no value to me anymore. Everything about here reminded me of what I had lost and filled me with agony, in a new world I could forget. No, not forget, for I would never in a million years wish to forget my dear Anna and precious Doris, but I could move on and remember them without staring at the people and places that were there when they were alive. The thought had passed over me that he could be taking me to my death, that I was hallucinating and this "White Rabbit" was nothing but a knife or poison to end my life with. But if it was, so be it. I would then join my family in paradise.

I no longer cared where I was going, the longer I thought about it. Madness had promised to help me, to stop the pain and take me to a new world. He seemed trustworthy enough, for there was no one else around me offering such assistance. And what was the alternative? Shoo him away and suffer for the rest of my life, droning on pretending to live and be happy while being no more than a living corpse with the shadows of my past haunting me? I needed to leave, I was going to leave. I felt like the large burden of grief I had been carrying had hands on it preparing to take it away.

I hopped out of bed, filled with energy and exuberance, and dressed in my favorite outfit. Anna had made it especially for me: a dark green jacket, matching checkered vest and trousers, a top hat with a yellow ribbon specially picked out by Doris, and a spotted bowtie, also picked out by Doris.

"Well aren't we dressed for the occasion?" Madness's voice came from behind me just as I was adjusting my hat in the mirror.

"If I'm going to go, I might as well go in style." I replied, reaching for my pocket watch. I glanced at the small family portrait on the inside for a moment before tucking it into my vest pocket.

I turned to face Madness, and beside of him was a rather large white rabbit in a waistcoat, looking very impatient.

"Simon, I would like you to meet the White Rabbit, he is the keeper of the keys, if you will, of the dimensions. Not everyone can summon him," he raised his eyebrow, as if I should be impressed.

"Yes, yes Madness you are very important and I am very busy," the White Rabbit cut in, "now it's time to go or else we will be late." The creature immediately turned and walked out.

"Late? For what, do we have an appointment with someone?"

"Oh, no my dear Simon," Madness placed a hand on my shoulder and lead me in the direction the rabbit was headed. "You see, although only White has the power to summon the portals, there is a strict window of when they are available for summoning. Now although these windows can last up to ten minutes, once they are gone the next opening will not be available for another two hours," he explained pushing me to walk a bit faster. "This window we are going to right now is scheduled to open in about…NOW!"

Suddenly I was floating through a swirling vortex, then falling through a strange tunnel filled with tables and chairs and dishes. The speed at which I fell was peculiar as well. One would expect to fall rather quickly when one's trajectory was straight down, yet I believe I could have walked down the tunnel faster than my current rate.

"How's the fall, my friend?" Madness floated down beside me, leisurely reclining as he descended.

"Strange." I said, grabbing hold of my hat which was threatening to run away from my.

"You should start getting used to strange, my boy. From this point on, everything will be quite strange for you, I imagine." He chuckled.

Before I had the chance to ask him to elaborate on this, I crashed into a table at the bottom. Madness skillfully landed on all fours.

"That's just like old White," Madness laughed, helping me up, "curt, but considerate."

I wasn't sure if I would consider setting up a table for me to fall on was my definition of "considerate," but as Madness said things would be strange to me here. I needed an open mind. I looked around and we were heading down a hallway straight for a room full of doors.

Madness strode in front of one of them, took a key out of his pocket and waved it. "This way, friend, I have your house all ready for you."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The house Madness had for me was quite nice. In fact it reminded me of the kind of houses in the storybooks I used to read as a kid. As soon as I stepped through the doorway it was as if a great weight had been lifted off my shoulders. There was a large dining table with several chairs, a kitchen with several dishes – mainly teacups and kettles – and leftovers scattered about, plenty of comfy looking furniture. I felt quite at home already.

"I hope you don't mind you have some housemates. I think you will get on quite nicely though," Madness winked.

My room was upstairs. It was simple. A bed, a mirror, a small table and chairs, a chest at the foot of the bed, and a wardrobe filled with several suits and amazingly some of my favorite hats that I had constructed over the years.

"How did you get these?" I asked, carefully examining a derby hat I had once made for the Duke of Yorkshire. I had deeply regretted parting with it.

"I think it would be best if you didn't question things so much, my dear Simon. This land we are in is full of wonder, which means it will often leave you wondering, which can be extraordinarily annoying. So, the quicker you learn to stop wondering the more wandering you can do. Understand?"

"Not quite, but I'm sure I will."

"That's right, my boy, now you're catching on." Madness smiled and reclined on my bed. "So is everything to your liking so far?"

"Yes it is thanks very much. It's like a dream."

"Yes, a dream indeed." He let out a deep sigh. "There is still one key feature of this house I must show you. Come along, friend."

He took me by the shoulder and we went out the backdoor of the house into a fantastic garden. Flowers of every color, big hanging weeping willows, a massive table already set up for a tea party, and the entire garden was edged by a shrubbery as tall as the trees with lanterns strung from one side to the other. We followed the little stone path to the table where my two housemates and another guest were waiting. The table was filled with tiny sandwiches, cakes, scones, muffins, cookies, any type of food you could dream of as well as a good ten kettles of tea. It was set up for probably a good twenty people.

"Ah hello Madness," called a musical voice. "I'm not sure we have _quite_ enough room for you _and _all these guests, but I suppose we will have to make do. Tea parties are meant for _three_ you know."

"I thank you and accept your kind invitation, my dear March." Madness gave polite smile. "Might I introduce, Simon the Hatter. As of today he will be living in this humble abode. Simon I would like you to meet March Hare and Dormouse, your housemates, and this is my good friend Time.

"It is a pleasure to meet you all, thank you for letting me stay here." I took of my hat, gave a small bow, and took in the people before me. March Hare, as it happens, was an actual hare it seemed, or half. She was gorgeous and human save the two brown rabbit ears protruding from the top of her head. Porcelain skin, pale blonde hair, and a musical voice; she seemed very familiar.

"The pleasure is all ours, Mr. Hatter." March Hare gave a brilliant smile. "We are greatly pleased that we will have a regular third at our tea parties, isn't that right, Dory?" She nudged the hunched over person beside of her, who immediately jerked up in surprise.

"Yes, yes, quite indeed," Dormouse muttered before slumping back down. I did catch enough of a glimpse to see that Dormouse was indeed a dormouse indicating from the two rounded mouse ears on the top of her head. She too had porcelain skin, but the color of her hair and ears were exactly reversed with March Hare's. Her voice was lazy and raspy, but very young.

The other man at the table chucked deeply. He was in a black and white suite and a fedora. His hair was long and blueish black, his skin as pale as milk. "Please, Simon, take a seat. So what do you think of our home so far?" Time asked.

"I like it very much," I replied situating myself and pouring myself a cup of tea.

"Good, good. Madness has told me a lot about you and I thought you might." He grinned and took a sip of his tea. "I hope you don't mind, but in these parts I made an arrangement with your housemates that it always be teatime if that is alright with you."

Although a million questions raged through my head, remembering Madness's advice I pushed them aside. "Of course, tea time is my favorite time actually. I always wanted it to be tea time all of the time."

"We did too! That is exactly why we made this arrangement! I knew you would do well here," squeaked March Hare.

"No you didn't." Dormouse put in, raising her head and setting it back down directly.

We all laughed and proceeded with the tea party for an immeasurable amount of time. It was weird, because it felt like days had passed but it also felt like it had been no time at all. I was never once tired or had to go to the bathroom, and of course never hungry but neither was I lacking appetite. The tea never ran out, the cakes and sweets replenished themselves, and there was always something to talk about.

Finally Madness and Time stood up from the table.

"Alright friends, it is time for me to go. I'll come back and visit soon." Madness stated with his signature grin.

"Me too, I look forward to our next party together." Time added.

"Alright then, we will try to have room, but I'm not entirely sure we will." March Hare said smugly.

"No room," Dormouse mumbled without getting up.

"Thank you for all your help, really." I said, standing to shake both Time and Madness's hands.

"Of course, I told you I would take care of you my friend. Enjoy your tea."

And with a bow and a grin he and time vanished.

As for me, my housemates and I carried on our tea party happily, forever. The occasional guest would pop in, but they were rare and never stayed for long. Madness did come to visit, as did Time, and some other interesting characters. But tea parties were best meant for three people, especially those that last forever.


	7. Epilogue

Epilogue

"Brother, it seems he is well settled in."

"Yes, brother, he is finally with the ones he loved most. It is sort of a shame he doesn't quite realize it."

"Why wouldn't you just let me take him here from the beginning? Then he would know."

"You know very well why, those who come here of their own accord are far happier than those who you just drag off."

"He did ask for me."

"Yes, and those who ask for you very often ask to return when they come before their time. At least now he is happily oblivious. Plus it is less fun if you just take them."

"Now we are getting to the real reason."

"I suppose," Madness chuckled, "but you have to agree, it's better when they want to come not just out of agony."

"You have a point, but they don't know where they are."

"Ignorance is bliss, big brother Death."

"You have a point, Madness. You have a point."

**Local Hatter Found Dead in Home**

Local Hatter, Simon Young was found dead in his home on Saturday, March 8, 1862. Mr. Young's home had a fortnight beforehand burned down, killing his wife and child, Anna and Dory Young. The cause of death is unknown but speculated to be grief. There are no further details released at the moment.

**Author's Note:**Thanks so much for reading! Sorry for the long wait, here's the end of it! Hope you enjoyed it! Thanks a million!~


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